Disturbing situation as industrial units dump waste into drains without treatment: Delhi HC

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Thursday termed as a "disturbing situation" that most industrial units are dumping their waste straight away into the drains without treatment.

The high court said the treated water coming out of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) get mixed with untreated waste water before flowing into the Yamana, thereby neutralising the entire purpose of treating the waste.

A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet PS Arora directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to give a chart of all industrial areas and the steps being taken for monitoring treatment of waste discharged by factories and industries here.

The high court also asked the DPCC to inform it as to how many factories and industries are connected to CETPs, and make submissions on the next date on a report of the special committee which inspected STPs in the city as per which, most factories are dumping sewage into the drains, and treated water get mixed with untreated waste water which flows into the Yamuna river.

"Accordingly, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is directed to be impleaded as respondent. List for appearance of DPCC. DPCC shall on next date place before this court a complete chart of all industrial areas and what steps it is taking on a regular basis for monitoring treatment of waste and whether the factories and industries have treatment plants and if so what treatment is being given," the court said.

Referring to the reports of local commissioners, who were appointed to conduct on-site inspection of all the STPs, the court said they reveal an extremely disturbing situation and some startling facts.

"Across the city, there is mixing of domestic sewage and vice versa. Most industrial units are dumping their waste straight away into the drains without treatment.

"The treated water coming out of these STPs and CETPs, get mixed with untreated waste water before flowing into the Yamuna, thereby neutralising the entire purpose of treating the waste," the bench noted.

The reports revealed that there is under utilisation of CETPs which also require upgradation as there is corrosion in pipelines and breakage.

The court said the action-taken report of the Delhi government seemed to suggest satisfactory working of STPs and CETPs, which would be in contrast with the reports submitted by the local commissioners and independent experts.

"Without going into a blame game, it is clear that in order for any effective steps to be taken to curb pollution of the Yamuna, a comprehensive attempt has to be made on several aspects," it said.

The court said a proper plan would be required to understand the existing storm water and sewage drain system that is currently existing in Delhi.

Upon obtaining such a plan, experts would be required to give a report on how the entire network of storm water drain and sewage can run parallely and be connected to main drains after the same is treated, the bench said, adding that as per the April 2024 order, a drainage master plan was prepared by IIT Delhi in 2018 but was not acted upon.

The court asked the Delhi government counsel to bring the April 2024 and Thursday's order to the attention of the chief secretary so that the drainage master plan as it exists on date can be retrieved and updated by IIT Delhi.

The court, which was hearing a suo-motu PIL initiated on a news report regarding water logging issues in the city, listed the matter for further hearing on September 19. PTI SKV SKV MNK MNK